I Hate What You've Done With The Place
by Cactusgirlie
Summary: When comfort proved elusive she plucked a clean sweatshirt from her open locker and screamed obscenities into it's worn, grey softness.
1. Chapter 1

**I Hate What You've Done With The Place**

**Fandom:** CSI:NY

**Pairings:** Danny/Lindsay and Danny/Flack friendship, esp in first chapter

**Genre:** Drama, Suspense

**Rating:** T for strong language

**AN:** This story takes place in the summer between season 3 and season 4. Danny and Lindsay have been dating but still haven't revealed that information to any of their colleagues. This will be a multi-chapter fic and although it will start out fairly lighthearted, it will get creepy.

**Disclaimer:** I'm a part of the 99.99999% of writers on this site who neither own, nor have rights to shows and characters.

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><p><strong>I Hate What You've Done with the Place<strong>

It was with a relived sigh that Danny threw down his pen and started to file the stack of newly-completed paperwork occupying his desk. Hopefully it would be his last lab-bound assignment and his physiotherapist would agree to clear him for field duty after their appointment later that afternoon. His hand felt better, not fantastic but he had a full range of movement and he was itching to get out of the office. Plus his physio was kind of a dick. If he never had to see that sadistic smirk again, well, it would be too soon.

The lab was quiet and it was evident that both Mac and Stella were out on a case. Danny hastily jotted down a reminder about his physio appointment on a post-it note and gathered up his things, slapping the note onto the door of his shared office in case anyone came looking for him. He had a little over an hour to make his appointment and so decided to walk. The clinic wasn't far from Flack's precinct and he could drop by on the way and maybe catch up with NYPD gossip over a Styrofoam cup of sludgy station java. Not exactly gourmet but it might give him the rush he needed to convince his physio of his good health.

Strolling in through the precinct's double doors, it took Danny a few moments to locate Flack through the bustle. The detective was leaning against the front desk and seemed to be dividing his time between delegating work to some of the greener rookies and subtly flirting with one of the pretty admin assistants behind the desk. Flack had the appearance of idleness down pat but Danny knew not to let that fool him. Flack worked damn hard from behind his laid back image. Still, when there was fun to be had...

"Yo Flack! Whatta they tell you about harassing the admin staff? Haven't you got better things to do than to hang around here and make a pest of yourself?"

Flack laughed and broke off his conversation with the assistant. "Firstly Messer, I'm on a break. And secondly, I think you're the one that needs some harassment training. I'm honestly surprised Monroe hasn't reported your skinny, be-spectacled ass yet."

"Well what can I say? I've got charm." muttered Danny whilst he helped himself to a cup of lukewarm coffee from the pot behind the desk. "Are you still coming round for the game later? I've got one of of my Ma's lasagnas ready to go and a fridge full of beers."

"How can I say no to Mama Messer's lasagna? Flack's stomach picked a fine moment to growl in confirmation. He carried on, ignoring his stomach. "You wanna give me your spare key in case I finish before you get back?"

"After what you did last time I gave you my spare? Nah man. Not gonna happen. Besides, I don't know where my spare is." Danny lied through his teeth. Flack would be insufferable if he found out that Lindsay was currently in possession of it.

Several hours later and Danny had made it back to the precinct and found Don already waiting for him outside. The subway ride to Danny's had been uneventful. Don had cracked some awful old jokes and had gone into great detail over an almost farcical bad date he'd had with a brunette veterinarian the evening before. Danny had let it all wash over him. The news from the physiotherapist had been exactly as he'd hoped which meant that he could be cleared for field work as soon as Mac allowed it. His injury was never expected to cause long-term damage but it had still been a relief to get the all clear. The physio was still a dick though.

By the time the two detectives made it to Danny's apartment building they were both in lively spirits. They were debating the merits and abilities of various ball players when Danny unlocked the door to his apartment and hurried into the kitchen to grab a much anticipated beer. In the next room he could hear Flack continue to reel off stats but didn't pay any attention to the other man until he heard Flack laugh and call out.

"Fuck Danny, I hate what you've done with the place!"

Curious as to what Flack could be talking about, Danny grabbed a couple of beer bottles and a bag of chips and headed out into his living room. Sprawled across his pool table was a grubby plastic mannequin dressed in a black lace bra and french knickers. It's plastic limbs and torso had been liberally spattered and smeared with red paint and on closer inspection the word 'Whore' had been viciously carved into the green baize of the table. The rest of the room looked to be undisturbed.

Danny rounded on the other detective, his face grimly set. " Fuck you Don! Fuck you and your bloody fucking stupid practical jokes! Is this why you wanted my spare key? How the hell did ya even get in?"

"Shit Dan. I swear I didn't do this. I thought you mighta been playing a joke on me. A little CSI humour. But I swear I didn't do it. I know how much you love that table." Flack finished weakly.

The two detectives stared at the scene in front of them for a few moments before Flack broke the silence. "Hey Danny, I'm no design expert but you might want to move that thing. It's a little Norman Bates for my liking".

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Please pass on your constructive criticism. BTW If anyone is interested, I'm looking for a beta who can help turn my English-isms into dyed-in-the-wool New York slang.


	2. Chapter 2

**I Hate What You've Done With The Place - Chapter 2**

**AN:** Hello again. A big thank you to everyone who reviewed or set up story alerts after the first chapter. This is my first CSI:NY fic and my first case fic so your support was really encouraging.

I realised after posting the first chapter that Mac was actually in London with Peyton at the time this story is set but for the purposes of storytelling Mac is in New York and the Crime Lab is in a fairly usable state. Maybe Mac got back from London early, perhaps he never went at all. Peyton won't be featured so you could even pretend she doesn't exist. Entirely up to you.

And so on with the show...

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Lindsay Monroe was in a bar sipping an icy soda when she realised that her phone had accidentally been set to vibrate; and that she had five missed calls. Two from Danny and three from Stella. Work. Heck, she was on call but she'd been so far down the call-out list that she'd felt confident in accepting when some of the other women from her yoga class had invited her out for drinks. She'd been having a pleasant evening, enjoying conversation that wasn't centered around dead bodies or the latest advancements in forensic science. Now it looked like she was going to have to draw the evening to an early close. Excusing herself from the small group, she moved to a quieter section of the bar and dialled Stella's number. Danny was supposed to be off shift and so his call was probably of a personal nature and he could wait.

Stella answered quickly and started to fill Lindsay in on the situation. "Danny appears to be a victim of a break-in for the purposes of some kind of practical joke. It's most likely a prank set up by someone he knows so it's not exactly a high priority but Danny panicked and I promised him we'd investigate."

"Danny panicked?" Lindsay questioned. "What was the joke?"

"Just a mannequin of some kind, I think. Honestly, I don't blame him. Those things are creepy." Stella confided.

Lindsay was reminded of the doll hospital case and smiled. She'd dealt with a fair number of macabre case in her career but even she had to admit that there was something unsettling about the blank-eyed stare of a plastic doll. Big or small. Lindsay shuddered and allowed Stella's calm and sensible voice to soothe her as Stella explained that Hawkes was on his way to the scene and that all that would be required of her was to look for prints at the entrance points to the apartment.

"It shouldn't take too long" said Stella, brightly. "You'll probably even have time to get back to your plans."

When she'd finished with Stella, Lindsay made a few calls to Danny but was unable to get through. She wrote a quick text message instead and then said her disappointed goodbyes to her new friends before leaving the bar to find a taxi. On her way over to the familiar apartment she wondered if she should have declined the case. Ethically it was a grey area. It wasn't an important or high profile case; and everyone who would be working or overseeing it would have connections to Danny anyway. But, and it was a big but, not disclosing her relationship with Danny could potentially make a mockery of her integrity and damage her reputation. Lindsay decided to say nothing. If Stella's assessment of the situation was correct; and they were mostly investigating to humour Danny; then there would be no reason to announce her intimate involvement with one Detective Messer to the entire NYPD. She relaxed into her taxi seat and watched the city lights speeding past. It had better be a simple case.

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><p>Flack glanced again at the man opposite him in the red vinyl diner booth. He'd regained some of his colour but he still looked pasty. He hadn't touched the sandwich or fries the waitress had brought over and he was expending a remarkable amount of nervous energy. His fingers drummed the tabletop and the toes of his shoes were scuffing a rhythmic beat against the linoleum floor. Danny had panicked and fled his apartment after the mannequin discovery and it had taken all of Flack's athletic ability to chase after him in his stiff and shiny new shoes. As it had turned out though; catching Danny wasn't the hardest part. Calming the agitated man down had been a Herculean task. Danny had been unable to articulate the reasons behind his initial shock and then his flight reaction and all Flack had been able to glean from him was that "It felt like a threat." It had taken calls to both Stella and Mac and the promise of an investigation before Flack had been able to persuade Danny to get out of the street and into the small diner on the corner.<p>

"Do you wanna tell me what happened up there Dan?" Flack asked quietly. It had worried him to see his friend fall apart over a break in and seeming prank. This was New York and petty crime was a sad fact of life. He knew Danny's old apartment had been burgled at least once and yet he'd never seen this kind of reaction from the man.

Danny shrugged and rubbed his hands over his face. "I...don't know Don. I don't know. I just need to go make a call. Alright?"

Flack watched through the window while Danny wandered outside to make his call. He was soon back. Whoever he'd called obviously hadn't picked up.

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><p>As she got out of the cab Lindsay heard someone call her name and turned to see Hawkes organising his crime scene kit outside the entrance to Danny's building. "Strange case, huh?" he smiled at her.<p>

Lindsay nodded absently. "Do you know what happened? Have you been up yet?"

"Nope, I just got here. Stella said Flack left without locking up so we can go up, if you've got everything you need." Hawkes picked up his kit and headed for the stairs.

There was nothing unusual about the entrance and locks to Danny's apartment and so Lindsay started dusting for prints while Hawkes went inside to look around. She pulled on her gloves with a sinking feeling; her prints must be all over this place and if the evidence she was collecting was needed and processed? Well she'd have no choice but to reveal to her bosses just how much time she'd spent here. Pushing the thought out her mind she finished up her work. Stella had been right, it had been a quick job. Lindsay moved further into the apartment and found Sheldon processing the living room.

"It seems a bit cruel for a practical joke, don't you think?" Hawkes glanced at her from over his shoulder as she entered the room. He was busy taking paint samples and he didn't notice the shudder that ran through Lindsay as she stepped closer to the pool table.

"Sheldon." Lindsay's voice came out high and wavering.

"Yeah"

"I can't work this case." Lindsay's gaze was fixed on the grotesquely posed mannequin. "Whoever broke in here and did this. They must have been at my apartment earlier today."


	3. Chapter 3

**I Hate What You've Done With The Place - Chapter 3**

**AN:** Chapters 4 and 5 are plotted out so this chapter was supposed to be a quick and easy bridge to the upcoming interesting bits. Quick and easy it was not! But at least I can get my teeth into some actual plot now that it's finished. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. The reviews really helped me to soldier on.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

_"I can t work this case." Lindsay's gaze was fixed on the grotesquely posed mannequin. "Whoever broke in here and did this. They must have been at my apartment earlier today."_

"Here" Lindsay directed Hawkes to the mannequin's waxy plastic wrist. A thin silver chain had been looped around it several times to form a make-shift bracelet. She snatched up a pair of gloves from her kit and snapped them on before carefully lifting the chain and two tiny charms up for the CSI to see. " I was wearing this necklace this morning. I took off all my jewellery before I left for my yoga class though. I didn't want to leave things in a locker."

Hawkes frowned and undid the clasp of the chain, gently unwrapping the length from around the plastic. He held the necklace up to the light for a moment before letting it pool in his gloved palm. The two charms were silver and hallmarked. The first was a tiny but intricately detailed Statue of Liberty figurine but the second charm was even smaller and harder to identify. He rolled it about in his palm and Lindsay, sensing his confusion took the chain from him.

"It's so small that it's hard to tell, I know, but it's a tiny ear of wheat" she explained

Hawkes fought to conceal his grin given the sober circumstances. "You have a necklace with Lady Liberty and an ear of wheat? Well there's no argument from me that it's yours. That's gotta be pretty unique, right?"

"It's one of a kind" Lindsay told him. "A friend of Danny's works with silver. She makes bespoke charms, anything you can think of...Oh!" she exclaimed. "I can prove without doubt that these are mine. Look there, under the hallmarks. My initials."

Sure enough Hawkes could just about make out the initials LM etched into the back of both charms. He threw a sympathetic glance at Lindsay. "You understand that you're gonna have to go and wait outside don't you? I'll finish up here and secure the scene. And you should probably give Stella a heads up."

Hawkes took back the chain and sealed it into an envelope and cast a thoughtful look at his colleague's retreating form. The necklaces discovery had filled her with nervous excitement but now it was fading fast and and a quiet shock seemed to be taking over. "There's water and some energy bars in the car" he shouted after her. "You should eat something. Doctors orders."

His words earned him a shaky laugh and he watched with concern as Lindsay let herself out, the door closing softly behind her. Hawkes reached for his cell and dialled Flack. There was no way he and Lindsay would be able to leave whilst the scene was open. He needed either the key and a uniformed officer or a locksmith. Whichever could be arranged sooner.

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><p>Mac slid the remaining half of his pastry across the table to Stella. He knew her well enough to realise that the tight knit of her brow was only partially caused by the potential bureaucratic nightmare that came along with Officer Conflict Of Interest. Her concern for Lindsay and Danny; like his own; was more than professional.<p>

"It could be a targeted attack on the lab. A threat or warning of some kind." Stella hypothesised. Her eyes searched his face, seemingly waiting for some kind reassurance to the contrary.

Mac carefully schooled his features into a superficial mask of calm and reached for another sip of his coffee. Mac Taylor was a man who dealt in facts but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. It wasn't like Messer to react the way Flack had described. Mac just couldn't square the cocky, young detective he knew with the anxious voice he'd heard when Danny had pleaded with him for an investigation. It was the same voice he d used at his unconscious brother s bedside.

"It could be someone trying to threaten the lab." Mac tilted his head and gave Stella an almost imperceptible nod of agreement. "It could also be someone trying to threaten Danny, or Lindsay, or both of them. We're just speculating blindly until Lindsay and Sheldon get back with the evidence and until we can get statements from Danny and Lindsay. We need context. What exactly did Lindsay tell you when she called?"

Stella broke off a piece of the sweet pastry and chewed it slowly whilst she ran through the conversation in her head. "She didn't say much. I had to coax everything out of her. She told me that she'd collected the prints I'd asked for but that she was sorry. The evidence might be inadmissible because she'd been the one to collect it. I asked why she'd think that and she said it was because it involved her too. She spotted a piece of her jewellery on the mannequin. Knew it was hers and knew that she'd been wearing it that morning. Said the only way someone would have it is if they'd broken into her apartment after she left for her yoga class at 3PM."

"That gives us some kind of time frame." Mac allowed a satisfied smile to flash across his otherwise impassive face.

"Not much to go on but it is something, I guess. Lindsay didn't say much more. Just that she was waiting on Sheldon to finish up and then they'd head back here. I told her that I'd have a team sent over to her apartment to start checking things out."

"We've got two potential crime scenes, there has to be evidence." Mac reached across the table and covered Stella's hand with his own. "We'll clear this up."

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><p>Flack flipped his cell closed and made his way back to the booth where Danny had given up staring at his fries and was now staring out of the window..<p>

"That was Hawkes. He wants to secure the scene so he can head back to the lab. He needs me to take him the keys and organise a uni for security. So ya got two choices Messer, you can wait here while I go drop off your keys or you can start heading back to the lab yourself. Mac's gonna want a statement sooner or later. Thems the options and if you try an' give me any shit I'll have a uni assigned to escort you back faster than you can find your own ass in the dark with two hands."

"I'm not gonna argue with ya Don." Donny held up his hands to protest innocence. "You go do what you gotta do. I can make my way back to the lab like a big boy. I promise not to play hooky."

"You gettin' your sense of humour back Messer?"

Flack pocketed the keys and left the dinner. He paused at the corner of the street and watched until he was certain that Danny was headed in the opposite direction. He rolled his shirt-sleeves up to enjoy the balmy evening air and set off to meet Hawkes.

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><p>Danny took an indirect route to the lab. He needed the time and the city air to clear his head. He had no idea who would want to hurt Lindsay or himself in such a manner. The unknown was making him feel vulnerable and he silently prayed that Hawkes would find them a lead. He thought about what he was going to tell Mac and he hoped he'd get a chance to talk to Lindsay before he made an official statement. There was no way to hide the fact that they'd been seeing each other but he'd prefer it if they could avoid being the subject of office gossip.<p>

He checked his phone as he stepped out of the elevator and onto the 34th floor and the unread message from Lindsay caused him to turn on heel. The elevator doors closed before he could slip through them and he mashed the 'call elevator' button with his palm in frustration. Here was the confirmation that Lindsay had been called out his apartment. A quick check of the message time stamp told him he was too late to stop her. She'd already been there for a couple of hours.

Danny felt a hand grip his shoulder and he turned towards the strong, sympathetic figure of his boss. It took everything he had not to break down.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> I had planned an emotional Danny/Lindsay reunion outside the diner but they just wouldn't co-operate. It's like herding cats around here.


	4. Chapter 4

**I Hate What You've Done With The Place - Chapter 4**

**AN:** This is a very Danny/Lindsay focused chapter, although not the romantic, fluffy, post-traumatic-experience reunion I initially imagined. It turns out that my nom de plume lacks the same mushy, love gene as my real-life self. I also have to say that after watching the most recent episode, I really want to put some of that brilliant Danny/Hawkes friendship dynamic into upcoming chapters. Cagney and Lacey! Loved it!

As always a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed or followed the last chapter. I own very little. And certainly not CSI:NY or characters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

It was close to 1am by the time by the time Lindsay and Hawkes made it back to the crime lab. Lindsay, who had expected the evening to be a little more mundane, was exhausted. She was grateful when Hawkes dismissed her efforts at unloading the evidence boxes and sent her inside. Her intention was to find Stella but curious eyes surrounded her from the minute she entered the lab and so she made her way to the locker room instead. It was blessedly empty and Lindsay took the opportunity to stretch out on a bench and rest her forehead against the cool surface of the wall. She needed some time on her own to piece together her thoughts. Flack had arrived while she'd been waiting outside of Danny's apartment and he'd taken it upon himself to wait with her. She appreciated the gesture but it had meant that she'd been forced to maintain a stoic facade. Difficult to do under the sharp detectives scrutiny and when fighting the urge to beat her fists against the nearest wall. The knowledge that some unknown person had such insight into her life should have scared her but instead her discomfort and frustration overpowered everything.

Lindsay shifted on the bench, trying to find a comfortable position. When comfort proved elusive she plucked a clean sweatshirt from her open locker and screamed obscenities into it's worn, grey softness. She continued until her lungs protested and she had to take in air in small, shaky gasps. When she felt calm enough she removed the sweatshirt from her face and noticed that her surroundings had changed. The sweatshirts owner was sitting on the opposite bench and he was watching her carefully.

"You mistreating my clothes Montana?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.

He looked terrible. His clothing was rumpled and she could tell he'd been fidgeting with his glasses from the noticeable smudges on the lenses. It was a habit which would have told of his extreme discomfort; if the grim set of his mouth wasn't already doing a decent enough job.

"I'm sorry Montana. I shoulda tried harder to get a hold of you before you got there." He shook his head. "You shouldn't have to see stuff like that."

"I've seen worse." Lindsay reasoned. "and yes, I'm pissed...not with you..." She cut off his apology. "I'm pissed that some creep broke into my home and went through my things. Took my jewellery and your spare key, I guess. And then whatever that fucking doll was..."

Danny listened as Lindsay's voice became thick and unintelligible with agitation. He closed the gap between them and maneuvered her so that his arms were around her and she was safely tucked against his body. She held herself stiffly and he could feel the tension in her muscles through her clothes and skin.

"Hey" he soothed. "I don't know what that thing was trying to say, Babe. But neither of us are hurt and we'll find the person responsible. I wanna know who thinks they can mess with us and get away with it."

When she didn't reply he tried a different tack. " I freaked out too." he admitted. "You are taking this so much better than I did." His revelation earned him chuckle. "You laughing at me Montana? Good ta know I've got a future in comedy."

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><p>Mac was examining Hawkes' crime scene photos at his desk when Danny interrupted him with a sharp tap on the office door. He acknowledged Danny with a nod and waited for the younger man to take a seat.<p>

Danny pulled a chair up in front of his bosses' organised desk. He skipped pleasantries, he knew he didn't have much time if he wanted to conduct the conversation one-on-one.

"Mac, I wanted to make my statement. Actually, Lindsay and I both want to make our statements. She's on her way. She stepped out to grab coffee. Getting one for you too." He added, a little gentle bribery couldn't hurt.

"It's unusual to give a statement in front of anybody but a superior, Danny. Lindsay shouldn't be here when you're making yours."

"Officially we'll give two separate statements Mac. Unofficially, you'd be doing me a solid if you let us get through this in one go. It's kinda why I wanted to talk to you while Lindsay's out. I wanna smooth a few things over before she gets back." Danny crossed his arms defiantly, daring Mac to deny his request. He could feel the full force of Mac's Marine stare but after several tense moments, Mac appeared to relent.

"Persuade me."

Mac's reply was curt but not unfriendly and Danny took his chance.

"That thing in my apartment, it felt like a message or a threat. Someone trying to tell me that they know my life. And it's not only aimed at me, y'know. It's a threat to Lindsay too. I think...nah, I know that this is an attack on Lindsay and I as a couple." Danny finished awkwardly.

"As a couple?"

Danny nodded.

"OK." Mac sat forward in his chair and eyed Danny. "Let's put aside your admission of a relationship with a colleague for the time being." He gave Danny a pointed look. "We will return to it. Tell me why you think this a threat directed at you and Lindsay?"

Danny hesitated. He'd known the question was coming but a fresh wave of resentment still surged through him, all directed towards the unknown bastard who'd decided to target him and who had opened his private life up to general view. His boss shouldn't ever need to know details of his sex life.

"Lindsay's necklace was on the mannequin for starters. And I think the whole thing is a reference to a date Lindsay and I had about two months ago. It was at my apartment, we played pool."

"That seems like a tenuous link." Mac interrupted. "It's more likely that the pool table was just a convenient location to dump the mannequin."

"Nah, Mac." Danny shook his head and tried to avoid eye contact with his boss. "That date, it was something else. We...we woke up on the pool table if ya catch my drift. Seems a bit on the nose; though I can't think of anybody who'd know about that."

Mac flashed Danny a sympathetic smile. The younger man suddenly became very interested in the mottled pattern of the office carpet. Mac knew that it was within his power to make the situation for his two CSI's easier or not and his compassion was winning through. He'd do what he could to ease their minds and a little of their burden.

"Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to take a long break when Lindsay arrives. I want very basic statements from each of you while I m gone. Written separately I might add. And no personal details or speculation. And I'm not as up on inter-office relationship policies as I should be." Mac informed Danny with a wry smile. "So I don't want any hint of your private lives showing up on official documentation just yet. Discretion is the better part of valour, as they say." He pushed two sets of statement forms and a fistful of pens across the desk.

"And Danny, I know you want to shield her from everything but she's completely capable of facing what's coming your way. You don't need that shining armour yet." With those words he moved to hold the door open for Lindsay who was approaching with a tray of take-away coffee. "I'll let you two get on with it."

Mac accepted a paper cup from the tray and vacated his office. The job was testing him today and he needed that long damn break.

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><p>Danny and Lindsay had been finishing up their statements when Stella had popped her head through the doorway to enquire whether either of them required a room for the night. Neither of them would be able to return to their respective apartments until all potential evidence had been collected. Danny was surprised to hear that Lindsay had already made arrangements for herself.<p>

He waited until Stella had left before turning to her. His eyes were burning with curiosity. "Where are you staying?"

"Just a hotel, in Midtown. I called them earlier and managed to get a room."

"Oh. I kinda assumed you'd come and stay at my parent's with me. The offers there y'know."

Lindsay snorted. "'Cos that's a great way to meet your parents." She turned back to her form and jotted down her initials and signature before dropping the completed statement in Mac's in-tray. "Besides, I need some time alone."

Danny tried to hide his disappointment and after completing his form he reached out to take her hand. "Would you at least like to grab some food? I know you ain't eaten anything and I don't wanna leave you like this."

Lindsay tried to avoid Danny's eyes. She licked the trace of blood from the lip she was chewing and focused on resisting the urge to cling to his body and allow him to take charge of everything.

"I think" she started carefully "that it might be a good idea to cool things off for a few days. We're going to be under a lot of pressure. Not to mention all the scrutiny and gossip. I remember what it's like to be the topic of unsavoury conversation. We need to practice discretion, like Mac said. It's unchartered waters for us"

"He advised discretion, not that we shouldn't see each other!" Danny watched Lindsay shrug and found himself becoming irritated with her seemingly calm demeanor. Lindsay was pulling away from him and acting like it was no big deal.

He tried again. "How about I meet you for breakfast tomorrow? We can talk about this, make a plan of action."

She heard the note of pleading in his voice and felt her chest ache as she forced out her response."I really think we should take a break Danny. Just for a couple of days. We'll see each other at the office." she offered as a rather useless platitude. The lost look on his face was taking a sledgehammer to her heart and she knew she'd lose all resolve if she didn't walk away right then.

She left him with a chaste kiss to his cheek and a half-hearted goodbye.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> This was a pretty strange writing experience for me. I met my lovely significant other when we worked together (at adjacent desks actually) and let me tell you, the 'Hi Boss! I'm sleeping with a colleague. Please don't sack me.' conversation is awkward. It worked out well for us but Damn! If there aren't easier people to fall for than co-workers. **Public Service Announcement:** Chat up friends-of-friends, patrons of your local pub, bar or coffee shop and evening classes first, Kids!


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